Ida Lemos

ADOLESCENT QUALITY OF LIFE AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN ADOLESCENTS FROM THE SOUTH OF PORTUGAL AND SPAIN

An observational, transversal study was carried out to examine cross-cultural differences in perceived quality of life and health-related behaviors on adolescents from southern Portugal and southern Spain. Sample consists in 319 adolescents. The Kidscreen-27 child self-report, a short version of Health Behavior in School-aged Children Questionnaire, and a Socio-demographic questionnaire were used. Results suggest significant differences between Portuguese and Spanish adolescents health behaviors. Portuguese adolescents experiment more legal drugs and consume more wine and beer. More Spanish adolescents smoke. No differences were found between countries on hashish use, liquor consumption, inebriation, and on the age of first sexual intercourse. Spanish adolescents perceived themselves with better quality of life. Gender differences were found on several dimensions of Quality of Life. Results are discussed with previous research on these topic and might be considered by nurses when promoting adolescent health. DESCRIPTORS: Quality of life. Behavior. Risk. Adolescents. Cross-cultural comparison.

Social support and parenting stress in at-risk Portuguese families

Summary Families that are at psychosocial risk live under personal and contextual circumstances that hinder their parenting skills. They frequently lack the resources necessary for addressing the challenges of parenting and encounter multiple stressful life events. Social support may help diminish the parenting stress that is experienced from living in a disadvantaged environment by enhancing coping strategies. However, previous research examining the associations between parenting stress and social support among at-risk families has been inconclusive. This study analyzed the psychosocial profile of at-risk Portuguese families, the size and composition of their social support networks and the associations between social support and parenting stress. Participants consisted of 167 parents (80% mothers) who received assistance from Child Protection Services. Measures included the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, the Arizona Social Support Interview Schedule and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Findings Parenting stress levels were extremely high, with 44.51% of parents showing clinically significant levels. Emotional support was the type of support that was most closely related to parental distress, namely the network size available for providing emotional support (r = −.27, p = .000) and satisfaction with the emotional support received (r = −.24, p = .006). Applications The size of the emotional support network was significantly smaller among parents who reported clinically significant levels of parenting stress. Hence, having the opportunity to express feelings and concerns as well as engaging in social interactions during leisure time may serve as protective factors against parental stress in at-risk families. Implications of for the interventions of professionals who work with at-risk families are discussed.

Quality of life of Portuguese and Spanish adolescents. A comparative study between natives and immigrants

The aim of this study was to analyse differences in quality of life (QOL) between Spanish and Portuguese immigrant and native adolescents. In total, 475 native and immigrant adolescents (52% boys) from Algarve (Portugal) and Huelva (Spain), aged between 12 and 17 years old, were assessed with the KIDSCREEN-52. QOL dimensions were not related to most academic variables, with the exception of number of school failures, Financial Resources and Social Support from Peers. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to examine statistical differences in adolescents QOL. Age differences in QOL levels were not found. Girls reported worse QOL levels on Physical Wellbeing than boys (F = 10.32, p = .001, η2 =.02). Immigrant Portuguese adolescents scored higher on Mood (F = 17.57, p = .000, η2 =.11), and native Portuguese adolescents scored higher on Social Acceptance (F = 4.87, p = .002, η2=.033). Immigrant and native adolescents had similar levels of perceived QOL. Overall, it seems that in both countries, the living contexts for immigrant and native adolescents are fairly homogeneous.

Psychosocial adversity, delinquent pathway and internalizing psychopathology in juvenile male offenders.

The main aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of a set of risk factors relating to childhood life events and other psychosocial factors that may be associated with criminal indicators and with the prevalence of internalizing psychopathology in a sample of adolescent offenders. Fifty male adolescents in the custody of the Portuguese Juvenile Justice System participated in the study (M=15.8 years of age). The Adolescent Psychopathology Scale - Short Form (APS-SF) was administered in a structured interview format, and the sociodemographic, family and criminal data questionnaire was filled in by the justice professional after consulting the adolescents file. Forty-six percent of all subjects had previous delinquent behavior. About 32% of the boys had committed violent offenses and 88% acted with peers. Also, the persistence of the delinquent behavior (50% of the offenders), coupled with the increase in the severity of the crimes committed (38% of the sample), suggests that these adolescents were at risk for serious and chronic delinquency at the time of the intervention. About 32% of the participants reported posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, 20% had suicide ideation, and a lower percentage reported other internalizing problems. Institutionalization, maltreatment and conduct problems in childhood, and family risk factors (parental conflict, absence of a father figure, lack of parental control and family substance addiction) were related with the report of internalizing problems. Moreover, the increase in the severity of criminal offenses and living in a correctional facility were associated with higher levels of posttraumatic stress, interpersonal problems, anxiety and depression. This study draws attention to the importance of assessing indicators of psychopathology and of psychosocial risk in intervention programs with young offenders, but also to the need of family focused interventions in order to help prevent recidivism.

Assessment of Psychopathological Problems in the School Context: The Psychometric Properties of a Portuguese Version of the Adolescent Psychopathology Scale—Short Form

The psychometric properties of a Portuguese version of the Adolescent Psychopathology Scale—Short Form (APS-SF) were studied in a sample of 656 Portuguese adolescents, aged 12 to 19 years, assessed in school context. Also, the aim of the study was to gather data concerning age- and gender-related differences in the expression of psychopathological problems assessed by the APS-SF. Results of the reliability of APS-SF scales are compared with those obtained by Reynolds in the validation studies with the American sample. Factor analysis reproduced the bidimensionality of the original validation studies of the scale. These findings seem to support the use of the APS-SF as a valuable tool for early identification of psychosocial problems in the school context in Portuguese adolescents. Results concerning age- and gender-related differences in the expression of psychopathological problems in the adolescents are discussed.

Parenting and stress: A study with Spanish and Portuguese at-risk families:

This study analyzed parenting stress, parental sense of competence, and stressful life events in families at psychosocial risk in Western Andalusia (Spain) and the Algarve (Portugal). Differences and similarities between families from both countries on these dimensions were explored, as well as the influence of country of origin in determining risk profiles for this population. Although both groups shared some sociodemographic characteristics, differences were found on all studied dimensions, with Portuguese mothers showing higher levels of parenting stress, sense of competence, and accumulation of stressful life events. Results suggest that higher risk families tend to share psychosocial characteristics, regardless of their country of origin.

Características psicométricas da versão portuguesa da escala de Socialização Parental na Adolescência ESPA-29

O objetivo do estudo foi validar a versao portuguesa da Escala de Estilos de Socializacao Parental na Adolescencia (ESPA-29) de Musitu e Garcia (2001, 2004). Participaram 849 adolescentes de ambos os sexos (57,2% raparigas e 42,8% rapazes), com idades compreendidas entre os 10 e os 18 anos (M = 14,57, DP = 2,43) e residentes no sul de Portugal. A validade de constructo foi estudada atraves da analise fatorial exploratoria e a fidelidade do instrumento atraves da analise da consistencia interna e da estabilidade temporal (pelo metodo de teste-reteste). Os resultados obtidos foram consistentes com os da versao original e reproduziram a estrutura bidimensional da escala. A versao portuguesa da ESPA-29 apresentou boas caracteristicas psicometricas, com niveis de consistencia interna e de estabilidade temporal bastante satisfatorias. Estes resultados sugerem que a versao portuguesa da ESPA-29 e fiavel para o estudo dos estilos de socializacao parental em adolescentes portugueses.

Qualidade de vida e comportamentos de saúde: um estudo comparativo entre adolescentes do sul de Portugal e da Espanha

An observational, transversal study was carried out to examine cross-cultural differences in perceived quality of life and health-related behaviors on adolescents from southern Portugal and southern Spain. Sample consists in 319 adolescents. The Kidscreen-27 child self-report, a short version of Health Behavior in School-aged Children Questionnaire, and a Socio-demographic questionnaire were used. Results suggest significant differences between Portuguese and Spanish adolescents health behaviors. Portuguese adolescents experiment more legal drugs and consume more wine and beer. More Spanish adolescents smoke. No differences were found between countries on hashish use, liquor consumption, inebriation, and on the age of first sexual intercourse. Spanish adolescents perceived themselves with better quality of life. Gender differences were found on several dimensions of Quality of Life. Results are discussed with previous research on these topic and might be considered by nurses when promoting adolescent health. DESCRIPTORS: Quality of life. Behavior. Risk. Adolescents. Cross-cultural comparison.

INTERNSHIP QUALITY PREDICTS SATISFACTION: Study with secondary vocational education students

A aprendizagem em contexto real de trabalho constitui uma importante componente da formacao dos alunos dos inseridos nas vias profissionalizantes do ensino secundario. No que se refere ao efeito deste tipo de experiencias no desenvolvimento dos alunos, os resultados das investigacoes ainda nao sao muito conclusivos. Por esta razao, o presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar em que medida a qualidade percebida prediz a satisfacao, a persistencia e a utilidade percebida no que diz respeito as atividades realizadas no decurso do estagio, numa amostra de estagiarios do ensino profissionalizante de nivel secundario (N=346). Os resultados obtidos sugerem a relevância da qualidade da experiencia de trabalho na explicacao dos niveis de satisfacao e da utilidade percebida do estagio, tendo surgido como principais preditores as oportunidades de aprendizagem e o suporte do supervisor. Por fim, sao discutidas implicacoes na organizacao dos estagios curriculares do ensino profissionalizante.

Calidad de vida y estilos de vida en adolescentes: un estudio comparativo entre el sur de España y el sur de Portugal

An observational, transversal study was carried out to examine cross-cultural differences in perceived quality of life and health-related behaviors on adolescents from southern Portugal and southern Spain. Sample consists in 319 adolescents. The Kidscreen-27 child self-report, a short version of Health Behavior in School-aged Children Questionnaire, and a Socio-demographic questionnaire were used. Results suggest significant differences between Portuguese and Spanish adolescents health behaviors. Portuguese adolescents experiment more legal drugs and consume more wine and beer. More Spanish adolescents smoke. No differences were found between countries on hashish use, liquor consumption, inebriation, and on the age of first sexual intercourse. Spanish adolescents perceived themselves with better quality of life. Gender differences were found on several dimensions of Quality of Life. Results are discussed with previous research on these topic and might be considered by nurses when promoting adolescent health. DESCRIPTORS: Quality of life. Behavior. Risk. Adolescents. Cross-cultural comparison.